Container with safety closure



March 27, 1962 A. H. KANTROW CONTAINER WITH SAFETY CLOSURE 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 1, 1959 March 27, 1962 A. H. KANTROW3,027,000

CONTAINER WITH SAFETY CLOSURE Filed Sept. 1, 1959 2 Sheets-Shee t 2"61;; ziwew United States Patent Ofiice 3,027,000 CONTAINER WITH SAFETYCLOSURE Abraham H. Kantrow, 50 Intervale, Roslyn Estates, N.Y. FiledSept. 1, 1959, Ser. No. 837,529 3 Claims. (01. 206-42) The presentinvention relates to containers, such as medicine bottles, or the like,and more particularly to containers having provision to prevent childrenof preschool age from gaining access to the contents thereof.

Thousands of cases of poisoning in pre-school age children occur yearlyin the United States due to the accidental ingestion of candy aspirintablets, sleeping pills, or the like. A number of such cases ofpoisoning terminate in fatalities. For example, in New Cork city alone,during the year 1957, there were hundreds of cases of accidental aspirinpoisoning in children which required hospitalization.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide acombination container and safety closure of improved construction sothat only one who is thoroughly familiar with such construction canproperly gain access to the contents of said container.

Another object is the provision of a container adapted to dispensemedicinal articles and having a pair of compartments with an auxiliaryclosure therebetween, and a discharge opening for dispensing saidarticles one at a time, said container being provided with a closuremember which is operative to open said discharge opening only whensaidauxiliary closure is closed and to open said auxiliary closure onlywhen the discharge opening is closed, whereby only one familiar with theconstruction of said container and safety closure can properly dispensethe contents thereof.

Another object is the provision of a container adapted to dispense asingle medicinal tabletat the time and provided with an improved closurehaving means to prevent the subsequent removal of the closure from thecontainer without the mutilation of parts of the container or closure.

The above and other objects, features and advantages of this inventionwill be fully understood from the following description considered inconnection with the accompanying illustrative drawings of the presentlypreferred embodiment of this invention.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view, broken away and partly insection, showing the preferred embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional elevation view thereof, on a largerscale, showing the closure member in one position thereof;

FIG. 3 is a section taken on the line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a section t aken on the line 4-4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 2, illustrating the manner oftransferring one tablet to the upper compartment;

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 2, but showing the closure member inanother position thereof;

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 3, but corresponding to the closuremember position of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 4, but corresponding to the closuremember position of FIG. 6;

FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIG. 6, showing the manner of dispensing thecaptive pill from the container;

FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view of another embodiment, accordingto the invention;

3,027,000 Patented Mar. 27, 1962 FIG. 11 is a vertical cross sectionthereof, taken on the line 1111 of FIG. 12;

FIG. 12 is a section taken on the line 12-12 of FIG. 11;

FIG. 13 is a partial vertical section thereof, showing the manner inwhich the tablets are passed to the inside of the closure member;

FIG. 14 is a view similar to FIG. 12, but showing the closure member inposition to discharge the tablets therefrom; and

FIG. 15 is a partial vertical section showing the manner in which thetablets are discharged from the closure member.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 through 9 of the drawings in detail, thereference character 10 indicates the preferred embodiment of thecontainer and safety closure according to the invention. As shown, saidpreferred embodiment comprises a container 12, such as a bottle, adaptedto contain therein a plurality of pills, tablets or the like, as shownat 14. A safety closure 16 'is insertable in container 12 for permanentsecurement thereto. As will hereinafter be described in great detail,the combination of transparent container 12 and safety closure 16 is ofsuch construction and arrangement of parts that only one thoroughlyfamiliar therewith, other than by chance, can properly dispense thecontents of the container, one tablet at the time.

Container 12 comprises a circular base 18 and a pcripheral sidewall 20extending upwardly therefrom. A flat segment 22 projects perpendicularlyfrom the inner surface of sidewall 20, inwardly 'of the container 12 todefine within said container a lower compartment 24 therebelow and anupper compartment 26 thereabove. It will be noted that segment 22 issmaller in area than the circular cross-sectional area of container 12thus defining a passageway 28 between said upper and lower compartments.Sidewall 20 is provided with an opening 30 immediately above segment 22to define a discharge opening for upper compartment 26.

Sidewall 20 is provided adjacent the upper edge thereof with an internalannular groove 32, and the inner surface of said sidewall tapersoutwardly from groove 32 to upper edge 34 of said sidewall, as shown at36. A stop 38 is provided in groove 32 for reasons which will be madeclear hereinafter.

Closure member 16 comprises a cylindrical bonnet portion 40 having aknurled peripheral surface, a solid cylindrical shank portion 42 havinga diameter substantially equal to the inside diameter of container 12,an arcuate wall 44 extending downwardly from said shank portion andcontiguous therewith, and a planar segment 46 defining a bottom wall forsaid arcuate wall 44 and having an edge 48 extending between theopposite side edges 49 thereof. It is thus seen that arcuate wall 44 andsegment 46 collectively define a compartment 50 having an access opening52 defined between the side edges 49 of said arcuate wall. Segment 46 isspaced from shank 42 a distance slightly larger than the diameter oftablets 14.

A beveled flange 54 extends circumferentially about shank portion 42 andis spaced from bottom surface 56 of bonnet 40 a distance substantiallyequal to the spacing between groove 32 and upper edge 34 of container12. As shown, beveled flange 54 extends peripherally about shank 42 anarcuate length slightly less than between the end edges 58 and 60thereof.

It is thus apparent that, due to the beveled configuration at the upperpart of the container, closure member 16 can easily be inserted therein,and by applying a slight downward pressure on the closure member,resilient beveled flange 54 will be compressed sufiiciently to permit itto move downwardly until it snaps into complementary groove 32 on thecontainer, upper edge 34 of the container defining a seat for bottomsurface 56. It will be understood that the closure member 16 is orientedrelative the container 12 so that stop 38 in groove 32 is clear of thepath of flange 54, when the closure member is inserted in the container.It will be apparent that, due to the beveled configuration of flange 54,while closure member 16 is easily insertable into container 12, theformer cannot be removed without multilating parts of the container orof the closure member,

Closure member 16 is rotatable in container 12 from a maximumcounter-clockwiseposition (viewing FIG. 1) in' which edge 60 of theflange 54 abuts fixed stop 38 in groove 82, to a maximum clockwiseposition in which edge 58 of the flange abuts fixed stop 38.

Referring now to FIGS. 2-5, there is shown container 12 and the closuremember 16 when the latter has been rotated to its maximumcounter-clockwise position, in which edge 60 of flange 54 is in abutmentwith stop 38. In said position, it will be seen that segment 46 of theclosure member is in overlying relation with segment 22 and a passageway62 between lower compartment 24 and upper compartment 26 is therebydefined between edge 48 of segment 46 and the confronting portion ofsidewall 20. The dimensions of segment 46 are such that the distancebetween edge 48 thereof andsaid confronting portion of sidewall 20 is,just slightly larger than the thickness of a tablet 14 so that only oneof said tablets can pass through passageway v62 at the time. Also in:said position of the closure member, discharge opening 30 on thecontaineris closedby arcuate wall 44. v

When closure member IZisin its maximum counterclockwise positionthereof, described above, the container is tilted and gently tapped'topermit only a-single tablet 14 to slide from compartment 28 intocompartment 26 through passageway 62 which is disposed lowermost asshown in FIG. 5. Closure member 16 is now rotated to its maximumclockwise position in which edge 58 f flange 54 abuts against stop 38 ingroove 32. In said maximum clockwiseposition, best shown in FIGS. 6-8,segment 46 completely closes up passageway 28 thereby preventing furthercommunication between the upper and lower compartments of the container.At the same time, access opening 52 in the closure member is moved intoregistry with discharge opening 30 thereby permitting the captive pill14 to be dischargeclby turning the container around approximately 180,as shown in FIG. 9. It will be noted (see FIG. that passageway 62 anddischarge opening30 are disposed in diametrically opposite relation.Accordingly, there is no danger that the captive pill will automaticallyfall out when the access opening 52 is moved into registry withdischarge opening 30 since the latter will be uppermost and the captivetablet lowermost, as best shownin FIG. 6.

According'to another embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. l0through 15, there is provideda containerv or receptacle 70, anintermediate lower member 72 adapted to move in unison with container70, an upper intermediatemember 74 adapted to have relative rotationalmovement with respect to lower intermediate member 72, and aclosuremember '76 with which upper intermediate member 74 is adapted to move inunis-on. Container 70 defines a lower compartment for the device and isprovided with a peripheral ridge 78 adjacent the upper edge 80 thereof,and said upper edge80 is provided with a small recess 82. Lowerintermediate member 72 is provided with a fiat base 84 and a sidewall 86upstandingtrom said base. Upstand ing wall 86 is not continuous for theentire periphery of the member 72 and is interrupted to define apassageway 88 through said sidewall 86. Part of the upper edge ofsidewall 86 is recessed to define vertically extending edges 90 and 92,which in turn define stops as will hereinafter be seen in greaterdetail. Lower intermediate member 72 is also provided with a downwardlyextending projecting tongue 94 which is received in recess 82 ofcontainer 70. Accordingly, when tongue 94 is seated in recess 82, lowermember 72 is fixed in a horizontal plane relative to container 70. Base86 of lower intermediate member 72 is provided with a cutout 96 todefine an aperture in said base. Closure member 76 comprises a top wall98 and a peripheral wall 100 extending downwardly from the peripheraledge of the top wall 98. Sidewall 100 is not continuous for the entireperiphery of the closure member and is interrupted to define a passage102 therein. Top wall 96 and sidewall 100 define an upper compartment,and, the latter is also provided with an internal groove 104 adapted toreceive ridge 78 in the container. Closure member100 is also providedwith a projection 106 extending inwardlvfrom the inside surface of wall100, adjacent top wall 98. Upper intermediate member 74 comprises a base108 having a cutout 110 similar to cutout 96, said base 108 also havingan upwardly extending wall 112 having a recess at the upper edgethereof, as at 114. I

The unit is assembled by placing member 72 on top of container70, withtongue 94 seated in recess 82. Mem ber 7'4 isthen inserted in member 72with base 108 resting on base 84, the latter being of slightly largerdiameter than the former, and with wall 112 in position between stops 90and 92. Closure member 100 is then placed over the assembly obtained sofar so that projection 106 thereofpasses through recess 114and so thatridge 78 of container 70 is forced into groove 104 in closure 76. Whenclosure member 76 is so snapped on to the container, the closure memberis rotatable relative to the container, but is fixed in verticalrelation to the containenand cannot be removed without destroying eitherthe container or the closure, or both.

When the unit is so assembled, it will be noted that rotation of theclosure member with respect to the container will cause upperintermediate member 74 to similarly rotate with respect to the closuremember, since projection106 of the closure member will causeintermediate member 74 to move in unison therewith. Also, due to thefact that lower intermediate member 72 has tongue 94. seatedin recess 82of container 70, the latter two are fixed with respect to each other sothat rotation of the closure member with respect to the containerautomatically causes rotation of the upper intermediate member 74 withrespect to lower intermediate member 72. As assembled, it will be notedthat the closure member is movable with respect to the container betweenthe two extreme positions, namely one extreme position in whichprojecting member 106 engages stop 90, and the other extreme position inwhich projecting member 106 cugages stop 92.

.FIG. 12 shows the position of the respective parts assembled asdescribed above, when projecting member 106 is in engagement with stop90. In this position, it will be noted that cutout 96in lowerintermediate member 72 isin registry with cutout 110 in upperintermediate member 74 ,wherebythere is an open passageway between thecontainerand the closure member, so that the contents of the containermay be passed through said passage into the closure member, in themanner shown in FIG. 13. In this position, however, it will be notedthat passage 88 inlower intermediate member 72 is covered by sidewall100 of the closure member so that it is impossible to dischargethecontents from inside of the closure member. When the closure memberis rotated to its other extreme position, shown in FIG. 14, in whichprojecting member 106 is in engagement with stop 92, the cutouts 96and110 areoutof registry, thereby preventing any passage between thecontainer and the inside of the closure member, but passage 88 is inregistry with passage 102 in the closure member so that the contentsinside the closure member may be discharged, as best shown in FIG. 15.

Thus it is seen that according to the embodiment shown in FIGS. through15, it is impossible to discharge any tablets from the inside of theclosure member when passage is established between the closure memberand the container, and it is not until passage between the inside of theclosure member and the container has been blocked that the contents ofthe inside of the closure member can be discharged.

It will be noted that cutouts 96 and 110 are adjacent the inside wall ofthe device so as to facilitate the passage of the contents of thecontainer to the inside of the closure member. It will be noted that theembodiment in FIGS. 10 through is of extremely simple construction andcomprises only four simple parts, each of which can be molded in onepiece. Accordingly, said embodiment is extremely easy to manufacture andcan be done so at a substantial saving in cost.

It will thus be apparent that the preferred embodiment of the inventiondescribed in connection with FIGS. l9, as well as the embodimentdescribed in connection with FIGS. 10-15 are eminently suitable toaccomplish the objects of the invention, namely the provision of acontainer adapted to hold therein pills, tablets, or the like, andhaving a safety closure whereby the tablets can be dispensed therefromonly by one familiar with its construction, and thus prevent pre-schoolage children from gaining access to said tablets which may be harmful oreven fatal to them.

It will further be apparent that while the present invention has beendescribed in connection with the dispensing of pills, that they couldequally well be used for dispensing liquids. In this connection, it willbe apparent, that the construction described can easily be provided withwell known means for rendering them fluid tight.

This application is a continuation-in-part of my United Statesapplication Serial No. 757,540, filed August 27, 1958.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiments of myinvention, it will be understood that various changes may be made in thepresent invention Without departing from the underlying idea orprinciples of the invention within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent is:

l. A safety dispenser comprising, an open top container defining a firstcompartment, medication in the form of pills or tablets provided in saidfirst compartment, a first intermediate member carried by said containerfor movement in unison therewith and defining a cover for saidcontainer, said first intermediate member having an aperture defining apassagewey for said first comporatment through said cover, a secondintermediate member adapted to be rotatably moved relative said firstintermediate member and having an aperture adapted to be moved into andout of registry with the aperture in said first intermediate member, aclosure member adapted to be mounted by said container defining a secondcompartment and having a discharge opening, means for moving said secondintermediate member and said closure member in unison relative to saidcontainer and said first intermediate member, said closure member beingmovable from one position in which the apertures in said first andsecond intermediate members are in registry and in which said dischargeopening is closed to a second postiion in which the apertures in saidfirst and second intermediate members are out of registry and said dischrg ope ng s p n, wher y the med c t o n s id first compartment istransferable to said second compart, ment only when said dischargeopening is closed and said medication is dischargeable from said secondcompartment only when the passageway between said first and secondcompartments is closed, and means for limiting the rotational movementof said closure member when said closure member is in said first andsecond positions thereof, respectively.

2. A safety dispenser comprising, an open top containtainer defining afirst compartment, medication in the form of pills or tablets providedin said first compartment, 2. first intermediate member carried by saidcontainer for movement in unison therewith and defining a cover for saidcontainer, said first intermediate member having an aperture defining apassageway for said first compartment through said cover, a secondintermediate member adapted to be rotatably moved relative said firstintermediate member and havig an aperture adapted to be moved into andout of registry with the aperture in said first intermediate member, aclosure member adapted to be mounted by said container defining a secondcompartment and having a discharge opening, means for moving said secondintermediate member and said closure member in unison relative to saidcontainer and said first intermediate member, said closure member beingmovable from one position in which the apertures in said first andsecond intermediate members are in registry and in which said dischargeopening is closed to a second position in which the apertures in saidfirst and second intermediate members are out of registry and saiddischarge opening is open, whereby the medication in said firstcompartment is transferable to said second compartment only when saiddischarge opening is closed and said medication is dischargeable fromsaid second compartment only when the passageway between said first andsecond compartments is closed, and cooperating means on said closuremember and said first intermediate member limiting the rotationalmovement of said closure member when said closure member is in saidfirst and second positions thereof, respectively.

3. A safety dispenser comprising an open top container defining a firstcompartment, medication in the form of pills or tablets provided in saidfirst compartment, a first intermediate member comprising a base adaptedto cover the opening of said container and a vertical wall upstandingfrom the peripheral edge of said base, said base having an apertureadjacent the periphery thereof, means for moving said first intermediatemember in unison with said container, a second intermediate membercomprising a base adapted to be positioned above the base of said firstintermediate member and rotatably movable relative thereto, the base ofsaid second intermediate member having an aperture therein wherebyrotational movement of said second intermediate member relative saidfirst intermediate member will cause the apertures in said respectivebases to come into and out of registry, a closure member having a topwall and a peripheral Wall extending downwardly from the peripheral edgeof the top wall, said closure member defining a second compartment andsaid peripheral wall having an opening which defines a discharge openingfor said second compartment, said closure member being adapted to bemounted on said container for rotational movement rela tive therewith,means on said closure member for causing said second intermediate memberto move in unison therewith, said closure member being movable from oneposition in. which the apertures in said respective bases are inregistry and in which the discharge opening in said closure member isclosed by the vertical wall of said first intermediate member to anotherposition in which said apertures are out of registry and said dischargeopening 1 open, whereby the medication in said first compartment istransferable to said second compartment only when said discharge ope ingis closed and said medication is dischargeable from said secondcompartment only when the p s ge ay bet een s id first and e o d co p rements is closed, and cooperating means on said closure mb r nd said firt intermediate member limiting rotational movement of said closuremember when the lat- 7 ter is in said first and second positionsthereof, respectively, said cooperating means comprising a projectingmemberon the closure member and a stop defining recess provided on theupper edge of said first intermediate member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS928,052 Hirsch July 13, 1909 8 Apfelbaum July 18, 1944 Haag Jan. 9, 1945Holt et a1. Dec. 25, 1951 Weir Mar. 17, 1959 Lermer May 12, 1959 WorthSept. 15, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS Germany Nov. 23, 1912 All

